FAQ's

What is Sparky Jr.?

This is a social network dedicated DIY mobile telepresence. Here you will find instructions, videos, images and software to build web-enabled videochat robots out of a wide range of inexpensive technologies, toys and trash.

What is Telepresence?

Telepresence refers to technologies that allow a person to see, hear and sense a location other than their true location, as well as have an effect in that remote location. Commonly referred to as videochat, telepresence is used by surgeons, NASA scientists and rescue workers as well as family and friends in separate locations.

What’s with the site name?

Sparky Jr. is the name of the current DIY version of the Sparky Project, an ongoing telepresence experiment that was first conceived in 1993 as a piece of performance art.

But why Sparky?

SPARKY is a rough acronym for Self Portrait Artifact – Roving Chassis.

But I’m not technical? How can I build a telepresenece robot?

We provide all the software and easy to follow, step-by-step instructions that will walk you through the process of building and running a robot, using things like Mac Mini’s, Roomba vacuum’s, Vex, Erector set parts and assorted found objects.